Carolyn Keene - The Ringmasters Secret

As the lawyer paused, Nancy remarked, "But he wasn't able to do it?"

Her father smiled. "This will be a surprise to you. Kroon wouldn't let Hitch back into the circus, but he did carry on an intrigue with him—against you!"

"Me?" Nancy cried.

Mr. Drew nodded. He said that Hitch knew about the bracelet with the horse charms, although he had not admitted it to Nancy. Hitch had understood that it once belonged to Lolita's mother. When he found out Nancy had it, Hitch had a good talking point with Kroon.

"He told the ringmaster what he knew, and received a tidy little sum for his information. Apparently Hitch was also given the job of trying in some way to discourage you from proceeding with your work on the mystery. So he figured out that he would strangle you enough to give you a good scare!"

"But why did he harm poor Rosa?" Nancy asked.

Her father said that Hitch had done it in a fit of jealous rage. The stableman hated all equestrian performers, because he had never succeeded in becoming a good one himself.

"And what about Señor Roberto?" Nancy questioned her father.

"Hitch insists that he had nothing to do with Roberto's injuries," Mr. Drew explained. "I believe he's telling the truth. But this only complicates matters. It's certain that Kroon didn't do it, since he was at the circus at the time. But it does mean that there is some unknown enemy mixed up in this whole thing. I'm inclined to think he's not a member of the circus."

"But a friend of Kroon's who is helping him cheat Lolita out of her money?" Nancy asked.

Her father smiled. "I believe you've hit the nail on the head, Nancy. And this might pertain to something else that happened in River Heights. The night that Hannah and I attended your first performance," the lawyer said, "your lovely horse-charm bracelet was stolen!"

CHAPTER XVI A Secret Search

The gold bracelet with the dainty little horse charms was gone!

Nancy was exceedingly upset to hear this news from her father. It had been her best clue to solving the mystery of Lolita's parents. Now she could not compare the little charms to see if the one which Lolita wore was a substitute.

"Don't take it so hard," Mr. Drew advised his daughter, seeing her deep frown. "I have asked Chief McGinnis to help on the case. He'll turn up something."

Nancy told her father what the old clown, Sanders, had inferred about Lolita's trinket—that it was only an imitation.

"I strongly suspect," Nancy said, "that Kroon or Mrs. Kroon may have sold the original trinket and had a cheap substitute made."

"No doubt," the lawyer agreed.

"Besides wanting to solve this mystery and help Lolita," said Nancy, "I'd just love to find the sixth horse to my bracelet."

Her father smiled. "And I dare say," he remarked, "that when you do, you'll give the whole thing to Lolita Flanders for a wedding gift."

"Not unless it rightfully belongs to her," Nancy said. "After all, Aunt Eloise gave me the lovely gift, and it won't be easy to part with it."

Mr. Drew arose. "I must hurry back to River Heights, Nancy. Incidentally, Hannah and I miss you very much. We'll be glad when your week in the circus is up."

Nancy laughed. "If things should go wrong here, I may be back sooner than that. By the way, Dad, did you have a chance to get in touch with anyone in England about Lola Flanders?"

Mr. Drew said that he had cabled a lawyer friend of his in London, but there had been no time for an answer as yet.

"I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything," he promised, kissing her good-by, and left the tent.

Erika came in a few moments later and at once asked what had happened to her.

"What do you mean?" Nancy asked.

"Because you look as if you'd lost your best friend."

Nancy recounted all the news Mr. Drew had told her. Erika said that she was glad the mystery about Hitch had been cleared up, but she had to admit that his story about the Kroons had complicated matters.

"Do you suppose Mrs. Kroon kidnapped Lolita?" she asked, her eyes opening wide.

Nancy shrugged and asked Erika to keep the matter in strictest confidence. If Kroon should find out what Hitch had told the police, there was no predicting what the ringmaster might do.

"I saw Mr. Kroon a couple of times this morning," Erika told Nancy. "He seemed to be in a worse humor than usual. Do you suppose it has anything to do with the mystery? He might even have found out that Lolita and Pietro had planned to elope and then changed their minds because of your suspicions about him."

"It's possible," said Nancy. "Pietro once remarked that there was a spy in the circus who carries tales to Mr. Kroon."

Nancy did not tell Erika another suspicion of hers—that the stolen bracelet might be at the circus. She was sure that whoever had stolen it had done so at Kroon's request.

"I must find out," the young sleuth told herself. "But how?"

Erika remarked that she hoped Nancy's worries about the mystery would not affect her performance that afternoon. Nancy laughed and assured Erika that she would do her best. And she did. Later, her roommate remarked that Nancy had never done her stunt riding better.

Nancy made a point of sitting next to Lolita at supper that evening. As soon as she had an opportunity, she asked Lolita if she had mentioned to her foster parents that Nancy had the bracelet.

"Why, yes, I did. Is something the matter?"

Nancy did not reply, but asked Lolita if she could remember when she had told them.

The aerialist thought a few moments, then said it was some time during the last day that the circus was in River Heights.

There was no question now in Nancy's mind that Kroon had engineered the theft. During the rest of the meal, the young sleuth kept trying to figure out how to prove her point.

"I'll bet whoever stole the bracelet brought it here to the circus," she reasoned. "And if he did, it's my guess that the bracelet is hidden in Mr. Kroon's trailer."

Later, Nancy confided in Dan Webster about the theft of the bracelet and why she thought it might be in Kroon's possession. She said she was wondering how she could find out if her suspicions were correct.

"I thought perhaps I'd get in touch with the police captain," she said. "Maybe he could make a search."

Dan Webster thought that this was the sensible thing to do, but it had one big drawback.

"Kroon will know at once that you instigated the search, since it's your bracelet," he reminded Nancy. "He'll instantly make trouble for both you and the other riders in your act."

Nancy had to admit that there was merit in Dan Webster's objections. Suddenly her eyes lighted up.

"Dan," she said, "how would you like to play detective for me?"

"Me!" Dan Webster began to laugh. "You don't mean you want me to go make that search? I'd be sure to get caught."

"No, not make the search. Just lay the groundwork for me," Nancy suggested.

Dan Webster scratched his head. "Well, keep talking. I'll let you know my answer after I hear what you want me to do."

"I can't tell you now," Nancy said hurriedly. "I see Mr. Kroon coming. I'll meet you in your office after the show."

The two separated, but after the show was over, Nancy returned to Webster's office. She said to the horse trainer in a low voice:

"This is what I'd like you to do. First, follow Mr. Kroon until he goes to his trailer. Then call on him."

"But what excuse could I use?" Dan Webster asked.

"Oh, that's easy," Nancy said quickly. "Tell him that Rosa will not be able to perform by the end of the week. Ask him what he thinks about the new girl continuing for a while longer."

"But how is this going to find your bracelet?" the horse trainer questioned, puzzled.

"Dan," Nancy went on, "tell him that you've heard rumors of things disappearing from the circus. Watch Mr. Kroon's face intently to see if there's any change of expression or if the ringmaster's eyes dart to some possible hiding place. Then tell him you've heard that one of the girls in the circus is going to ask for a police search unless something valuable which was stolen from her turns up."